Villarroel, River vice-president, addresses possible Otamendi move | OneFootball

At a River in the middle of a rebuild following Marcelo Gallardo’s departure, it may seem premature to start planning for the next transfer window. However, in Núñez several names are already beginning to circulate ahead of June, and one of them is Nicolás Otamendi. On the matter, club vice president Ignacio Villarroel said the player was of interest, though there had not yet been any contact.

At the Ion by 2Build 2026 conference held in Lisbon, one of River’s top officials was asked about the possibility of signing the Benfica center back after the World Cup. And although he denied there had been any move to bring him in, he did suggest it was a possibility.

“Otamendi is a River fan, a national team player, a world champion, very interesting to consider. But we still haven’t spoken with him. As of today there is no formal conversation. We have to be respectful of the process: Benfica, him, and us are all in the middle of the season,” Villarroel said, just two days after the defender himself had been fairly ambiguous about the possibility of wearing the red sash.

He added: “Di María, Acuña, Pezzella: many have returned to Argentine football. The doors are always open. I know Otamendi, I have a personal relationship with him. And Nicolás is highly professional, a winner, serious. Not only because of his physical condition but because of his mindset. He will set his own limit on how long he wants to keep playing.”

The flirting between Otamendi and River goes back several years, but there was never any real progress toward bringing the experienced 38-year-old defender to Núñez. With his contract in Portugal running until June, his departure after the World Cup seems all but certain and would be the ideal opportunity for River to make a move for him. However, so far no one has confirmed that possibility.

Villarroel, who knows that Ota’s name will at least be on the table in the coming months, said: “We all know the love River fans have for Otamendi and Otamendi has for the club. He is one of the great players in the history of the Argentina national team. River fans and Argentine fans recognize him and identify with him because he is a leader, protecting Messi, Julián, everyone.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.